Computing systems often comprise a number of devices that communicate with each other over a number of buses. Numerous bus protocols are known, and each protocol typically specifies the physical and electrical characteristics of a bus, as well as the format in which data is expected to be transferred over the bus.
To ensure that a computing system operates properly, the system must be tested. In a system where devices are coupled to each other via a bus, both the devices and the bus must be tested. One way to test such a system is by stimulating the bus (e.g., by transmitting data over the bus), and then determining whether one or more of the devices that are connected to the bus can read, assemble and/or respond to the transmitted data. In this way, both the devices, and the bus that connects them, may be tested.
Some bus protocols specify that data be transmitted in data “packets”; and computing systems comprised of a plurality of devices that are coupled via such a bus are referred to as packet-based systems. Although various ways of testing the operation and performance of packet-based systems already exist, new and better ways of testing such systems are always being sought.